Advisory Bodies

Institutional Review Board & Ethics Committee (IRB & EC)

The Institutional Review Board and Ethics Committee (IRB & EC) is the university’s core ethical oversight body, established to ensure that all research involving human and animal subjects upholds the highest ethical and scientific standards. Operating under the framework of international guidelines — including the Belmont Report, ICH-GCP, Declaration of Helsinki, and the National Bioethics Committee of Pakistan — the IRB & EC’s mission is to foster ethical research culture, safeguard participant welfare, and strengthen institutional integrity in scientific inquiry.

Composition

The IRB & EC comprises a multidisciplinary team of experts, including biomedical and social scientists, clinicians, legal advisors, community representatives, and ethicists. This balanced structure ensures independent, fair, and comprehensive ethical review of all research proposals conducted under the auspices of Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University (STMU) and its affiliated institutions.

Core Functions

• Ethical Review and Approval: Evaluate all research proposals involving human or animal subjects before initiation to ensure compliance with ethical and regulatory standards.
• Oversight and Monitoring: Periodically review approved projects to ensure participants’ rights, safety, and confidentiality are maintained.
• Guidance and Compliance: Provide clear ethical guidance to researchers, ensuring adherence to Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and national bioethical frameworks.
• Training and Awareness: Conduct sessions and workshops to build institutional capacity in ethical research conduct.
• Exemption and Audit: Issue exemption letters for eligible studies and conduct random audits to ensure compliance.

Meeting Timeline

The IRB & EC meets quarterly to review new proposals, renewals, and amendments. Additional meetings may be convened as needed for urgent reviews or time-sensitive research activities. Decisions are communicated to researchers within two weeks of the meeting, ensuring timely ethical oversight and project initiation.